Method and apparatus for electroplating pipes and other articles of magnetic material.



N. W. BUCH. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING PIPES AND OTHER ARTICLES 0F MAGNETIC MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, I913 j I 1,168,280. Patented Jan. 16, 191k).

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IVENTOR I N W BUCH METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING PIPES AND OTHER ARTICLES 0F MAGNETIC MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED IUNE 23, l9l3. 1 1 29, Patented Jan. 12 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- "u n H "n" u u n H u fl F .12 I n n INVENTOR WYLV NEWTON W. BUCH, OF NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SAFETY ARMORITE CONDUIT COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING PIPES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

Application filed June 23, 1913. Serial No. 775,250.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEWTON W. BUoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Castle, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods and Apparatus for Electroplating Pipes and other Articles of Magnetic Material, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a plan view of one form of apparatus embodying my invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on the line IIII and IIIIII respectively of Fig. 1.

My invention has relation to a novel method and apparatus for electroplating pipes and other articles of magnetic material, and is' designed to provide a method and means whereby such articles can be conveniently and rapidly coated and electroplated.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a magnetic lifting frame, which is adapted to simultaneously engage and pick up the ends of a plurality of pipes or other articles to be electroplated. This frame forms means whereby a group of such articles may be simultaneously placed and held within the plating bath and removed therefrom when the plating operation is completed. In the construction shown in the drawing, this lifting frame is composed of a plurality of parallel bars 2 of magnetic material, and each forming a pole piece for a series of electric magnets 3 secured thereto. These bars are arranged side by side in parallel spaced relation, and are connected by suitable cross-bars 4. The ends of the bars 2 are preferably recessed so as to fit the sides of the tank or vessel 6 which contains the electroplating bath. Placed upon the upper edge of one side of this vessel is a bus-bar 7, forming the cathode bus-bar of the apparatus, and which has the multiple circuit connections 8. The ends of the bars 2 when the lifting frame is in position on the tank, rest directly upon the upper surface of this bus-bar 7. Placed upon the upper edge of theopposite wall of the vessel is an-anode bus-bar 9 having the multiple circuit connections 10.

11 designate a series of anode carrying bars, which are placed intermediate adjacent bars 2, and which rest directly at one end upon the anode carrying bar 9. At their other ends these bars 11 rest upon but are insulated from thebus-bar 7. The bars 2 also rest upon but are insulated from the bus-bar 9, as indicated at 12. Each bar 11 carries a series of depending anode members 11*. The bars 2 may, if desired, be provided on their under side withprojections 13, which act to center the pipes or tubes in the manner shown in Fig. 2, where the apparatus is used for electroplating pipes or tubes as distinguished from solid pieces.

The operation is as follows :The articles to be electroplated are first placed on end in spaced relation in suitable racks or supporting devices. The lifting frame is then brought over the upper ends of these articles, and by means of any suitable crane apparatus, and is lowered into engagement therewith. The bars 2 being energized by the magnets 3, the series of articles will be simultaneously lifted out of the rack; and the. lifting frame Wit-h the suspended articles is then moved over the tank 6 and the frame is lowered down onto the tank to the position shown in Fig. 2. After the completion of the electroplating operation, the frame is lifted, thereby withdrawing the entire series of pipes or other articles in the bath. By deenergizing the magnets 3, these articles may be dropped at any desired place.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. since it provides a method and apparatus of simple and convenient character by means of which a large number of articles can be simultaneously handled and held within the coating bath during the operation. The pole pieces of the lifting frame and magnets form the cathode members of the apparatus, and these can be readily placed in position upon and removed from the tank without disturbing the anodes.

It will be noted that the pipes or other articles may be coated throughout their entire length inasmuch as there is no mechanical gripper or holder employed. Furthermore, they are held in proper spaced relation' and hence are properly arranged in relation to the electrodes. v

I do not, however, limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of the apparatus which I have herein shown and described, as it will be obvious that various changes.can be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

. magnetizable articles, which consists in stacking a plurality of the articles in prearranged position, bringing a lifting frame having-magnetized portions over the articles and causing them to adhere to the said magnetized portions, moving said articles while suspended on said frame over and into the bath and coating them, and then lifting the frame to remove the coated articles from the bath and cutting off the magnetizing force applied to said frame to release the articles; substantially as described.

3. In electro-plating apparatus, a. tank, a magnetizable holder for the articles to be coated, means for magnetizing said holder, and means on the holder for spacing the articles in definite positions while suspended from the magnetizable holder; substantially as described.

4. The herein described method of electroplating magnetizable articles, which consists in stacking a plurality of the articles in prearranged position, bringing a lifting frame having magnetized portions over the articles and causing them to adhere to the 5. Apparatus for electroplating, comprisinga tank or vessel adapted to contain an electrode, a frame having a plurality of cathode members and adapted to be removably supported on the tank, means for magnetizing said cathode members to cause them to magnetically support the articles to be electroplated, and means for connecting said members with one side of an electric current while on the tank; substantially as described. N

6. Apparatus for electroplating, comprising a tank having a series of anode-carrying members supported across the top of said tank, and a lifting frame adapted to be removably supported on the tank, said frame having a plurality of cathode members adapted to fit between the anode members,

means for supplying current to the cathode members while on the tank, and means for magnetizing said cathode members; substantially as described.

7 Electroplating apparatus, comprising a tank or vessel for the electrolyte, a series of spaced anode-supporting members having anodes depending within the tank, an article supporting and transferring frame comprising a plurality of connected cathode members, a plurality of magnets of which said members form the pole pieces, and means for effecting electrical connections with said pole pieces when the lifting frame is in operative relation to the tank: substantially as described.

8. Electroplating apparatus, comprising a movable cathode member, means for magnetizing said member to enable it to magnetically support the articles to be plated,

and means .for supplying electric current to said member; substantially as described.

9. In electroplating apparatus, a magnetized cathode support having a magnet arranged to hold the articles magnetically within the bath, and means for supplying current to said members; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

NEWTON W. BUCH.

Witnesses:

RICHARD F. DANA, NEVA B. MOORE. 

